Piano-player.



F. W. WOOD.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, 1913.

1,152,255. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

W W W W l in] WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

WQM [/0210 A TTORNE y.

F. W. WOOD.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29. I913.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES.-

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W ATTORNEY.

ENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK w. woon, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PIANO-PLAYER.

Application filed December 29, 1913.

T all whom it mcy'conoern Be it known thatI, FREDnnIoK "W. lVoon,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas.'City,. in the county of Jackson and Statmof Missouri, have invented. certain new and-useful Improvements in Piano-Players,

Of'JWhiQh the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pianoplayers.

nary upright pianos.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide, in, a piano, automatic playing mechanism' by which the keys will be operated inamanner similar to finger manipulation..

A further object of myinvention is to provide-a neat and compactautomatic key operating mechanism which may be easily 1 an-dquickly moved to a position, which will leave thekeyshevposed for finger manipulation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a piano structure in whichthe key cover is employed to support. the automatlc key playing mechanism, whereby, when the key cover is moved to theopen position for finger manipulation of thekeys, it will. carry with it the automatic key operating mechalnism, and when it is moved to theclosed position it will carry the key operating mech anism into operative position.

Other novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention-Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of an upright piano which is equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view,

of a portion of an upright piano, equipped with my improvement, the key cover being shown in the closed position.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates the casing and 2 a box-llke key-cover horizontally slidable inwardly and outwardly in side guides 3, Fig. 1, which extend horizontally inwardly and outwardly, above the black and white keys 1 and 5, with which the piano is provided, as in the usual manner. As shown in Fig. 2, the casing 1 is provided over the keys .with an opening adapted to receive the key cover 2.

The key cover 2 constitutes a support for Specification of Letters Patent.

nisparticularly adapted for usein mu Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

seriauto. 809,390.

, the-automatic. key playing mechaniem.. Vertically movable. key operating members, 6 and 7., are disposed respectively above the black keys 4:- and' white keys 5., and are respectively carried and operated by the movable members, 8 and 9, of two sets of pneumatics, 10 and 11,, which; are respectively supported. on horizontal frames 12 and 13, which. in turn are carriedby the key cover 2. The pneumatics, 10 and 11, are operated 1n the usual manner and are controlled. by the usual tracker bar 14;, which is supported atitsends by uprights 15, which, in: turn are supported: by ahorizontal frame 16., carried by the key cover The rolls, 17 and; 18, which. carry the per forated music sheet 19, which cooperates in the usual manner with the tracker bar 14, are mounted on vertical posts 20,.secured respectively at their upper and. lower endsto the fall board12 and frame 16. The usual vacuum chamber 21-, is provided 111 the key cover 2, and has connected to it a flexible pipe 22, which is-connected to a suitable vacuum producing pump, v not shown.

The pneumatics, 10 and 11, are respectively. connected withthe chamber 21, by the usual valved passages 28. The tracker bar 14, is also connected in the. usual manner,

.with the vacuum chamber 21, by means of tubes 24.

l/Vhen it is desired to operate the mechanism automatically, the key cover 2 is drawn outwardly to the closed position, shown in Fig. 2. WVhen the key cover is in the closed position the operating members, 6 and 7 will be in position to respectively strike those portions of the black and white keys, 4: and 5, which are struck with the fingers in manual playing of the piano. If, now, the music sheet 19, is operated in the well known manner, the pneumatics 10 and 11, will have their movable portions, 8 and 9, moved downwardly, thereby causing the members, 6 and 7, to depress the appropriate keys, thereby automatically playing the piano.

When it is desired to manually play the piano, the key cover 2 is slid inwardly on the guides 3, to a position in which it will be housed within the casing 1. At this time the keys will be uncovered for finger manipulation. For normally expanding the pneumatics, 10 and 11, the usual springs, not shown, are provided.

I do not limit my invention to the structure described and illustrated, as modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A piano having keys, a casing, and a box-like key cover horizontally movable to a position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering the keys, and automatically operated mechanism carried fly and in the key cover for operating the eys.

2. A piano having keys, a casing, and a box-like key cover horizontally movable to a position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering the keys, and pneumatically operated mechanism carried by and in the key cover for operating the keys.

3. A piano having keys, a casing having horizontal guides, and a-box-like key cover horizontally slidable in said guides to a position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering the keys, and mechanism carried by and in said key cover for automatically operating said keys.

4. A piano having keys, a casing having horizontal guides, and a box-like key cover horizontally slidable in said guides to a position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering the keys, and pneumatically operated mechanism carried by and in said key cover for operating said keys.

5. A piano having keys, a casing having an opening above said keys and forwardly and rearwardly extending guides, a box-like support movable in said guides through said opening to a position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering the keys, and mechanism carried by and in said support and adapted to operate said keys.

6. A piano having keys, a casing, and a box-like support horizontally movable to 1! position substantially within the casing and also to a position covering said keys, a plurality of key operating members for respectively operating said keys carried by and in said support, and means for auto giatically operating said key operating mem ers.

7. A piano having keys and forwardly and rearwardly extending guides, a support movable inwardly and outwardly on said guides to and from a position in which it will be housed in said piano, a plurality of key operating members carried by said support and disposed in positions in which,

when the support is moved outwardly to apredetermined position, they will be in positions in which they will be adapted to respectively strike said keys, and a plurality of pneumatics having means for respectively actuating said key operating members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses:

FREDERICK W. WOOD.

Witnesses:

E. B. HOUSE, J. C. IRWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

